“AHA! Arts and Humanities Awards” Celebration Oct 17

COLUMBIA, SC – October 9, 2013 – The Cultural Council of Richland and Lexington Counties and The Humanities Council ^SC are joining together to celebrate excellence in the arts and humanities.

AHA! Arts and Humanities Awards will be held on Thursday, October 17 at the Palmetto Club.  Festivities will begin at 6:00 pm and will include an artist exhibition and sale, performance vignettes, food and drink, and awards presentations.  Recipients of the Governor’s Awards in Humanities are Dr. Mary Ann Kohli, Ron Rash, and Dr. Stephen Wise.  Cultural Council awards will go to The Humanities Council ^SC for Inspiration, South Carolina Philharmonic for Collaboration, Southern Guitar Festival for Education, and Town Theatre for Innovation.  “We are excited to celebrate the best of the arts and humanities together as part of the commemoration of National Arts and Humanities Month,” said Norree Boyd-Wicks, executive director of the Cultural Council of Richland and Lexington Counties.  “The Cultural Council is beginning its 30^th year of service to the arts.  What better way to begin than to reward excellence in the arts and to join The Humanities Council ^SC in recognizing the importance of arts and humanities to our community.”

The Humanities Council ^SC is celebrating its 40^th year as the South Carolina affiliate program of the National Endowment for the Humanities.  “We are wrapping up our 40^th anniversary commemoration.  Celebrating with the arts is an appropriate finale to a great year,” said Randy Akers, executive director of The Humanities Council ^SC.

Tickets to “Aha! Arts and Humanities Awards” are $80 and can be purchased through www.smartarts.info or by contacting the Cultural Council at 803-799-3115.